Arts and crafts collective urges Northumberland residents to shop local

The call comes from Artisans at Serendipity, an artists’ and artisans’ co-operative in Berwick, on behalf of all local artists and artisans as national lockdown has again seen non-essential shops closed.

The Crafts Council estimates that the economic impact on the UK Artisan sector this year is a drop of 67% in orders, and that well over 50% of makers will make a loss this year.

The Artisans at Serendipity shop on Marygate sells a variety of beautiful, bespoke arts and crafts made by local and regional artisans ranging from original art to hand-made silver jewellery.

While the shop is closed due to the current lockdown many of its products can be viewed and purchased through its website www.serendipityartisans.co.uk and Facebook / Instagram pages.

Berwick Chamber of Trade chairman Stephen Scott said: “Buying locally produced art and handmade products means that you are not only ‘buying local’ but also supporting ‘locally made’ which gives a huge boost to the town’s economy.”

He also suggests shoppers could explore Foldyard Gallery, Tidekettle Paper, Jennie’s Wool Studio, No 25 Gallery and the Needle Works on Bridge Street, plus the Dockside Gallery in Tweedmouth.

In the run-up to the festive season, Serendipity is urging people to think about the skills, talent and time that local artists and artisans put into producing their arts and crafts and to consider buying from this sector when shopping for unique and beautifully made gifts.

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